A Nation at Risk

1
A Nation at Risk

• Summary of the Report Its Implications

2
Declines in educational performance are in large
part the result of disturbing inadequacies in the
educational process in terms of

• content,
• expectations,
• time, and
• teaching.

3
Findings (Deficiencies) Regarding CONTENT

• Secondary school curricula have been homogenized,
  diluted, and diffused to the point that they no
  longer have a central purpose.
• In effect, we have a cafeteria style curriculum
  in which the appetizers and desserts can easily
  be mistaken for the main courses. Students have
  migrated from college preparatory programs to
  "general track" courses in large numbers.
• The proportion of students taking a general
  program of study has increased from 12 percent in
  1964 to 42 percent in 1979.
• This curricular smorgasbord gives students so
  much choice, they are choosing general rather
  than college prep courses.

4
Recommendations for Content

• State and local high school graduation
  requirements be strengthened.
• All H.S. graduates be required to have a
  foundation in the Five New Basics by taking
• (a) 4 years of English
• (b) 3 years of mathematics
• (c) 3 years of science
• (d) 3 years of social studies and
• (e) one-half year of computer science.
• For the college-bound, 2 years of foreign
  language in high school are strongly recommended
  in addition to those taken earlier.

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Recommendations for Science

• The teaching of science in high school should
  provide graduates with an introduction to
• concepts, laws, and processes of the physical and
  biological sciences
• methods of scientific inquiry and reasoning
• application of scientific knowledge to everyday
  life and
• social and environmental implications of
  scientific and technological development.
• Science courses must be revised and updated for
  boththe college-bound and those not intending to
  go to college to add everyday applications

6
Findings (Deficiencies) Regarding Expectations

• The amount of homework for high school seniors
  has decreased (2/3 of seniors surveyed report
  less than 1 hour a night) and grades have risen
  as average student achievement has been
  declining.
• Students in other industrialized countries
  complete many more years of math and science than
  do US students.
• US High schools have low graduation requirements
  so many students opt for less demanding personal
  service courses, such as bachelor living.
• Minimum competency exams required in a majority
  of states have become the maximum, thus
  lowering standards.

7
Recommendations Related to Expectations

• Colleges and universities should raise their
  admission requirements.
• STANDARDIZED TESTS of achievement should be
  administered at major transition points.
• Textbook companies should be required to submit
  research demonstrating the effectiveness of their
  materials.

8
Recommendations Regarding Time

• Students should be assigned more homework.
• Begin instruction in effective study work
  habits in elementary school.
• Schools should lengthen their school day to 7
  hours and the school year to 200-220 days.
• The burden on teachers for maintaining discipline
  should be reduced through the development of firm
  and fair codes of student conduct that are
  enforced consistently, and by considering
  alternative classrooms, programs, and schools to
  meet the needs of continually disruptive students.

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Findings Regarding Teaching

• not enough of the academically able students are
  being attracted to teaching
• teacher preparation programs need substantial
  improvement
• the professional working life of teachers is on
  the whole unacceptable and
• a serious shortage of teachers exists in key
  fields.

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Recommendations Regarding Teaching

• Improve the preparation of teachers or make
  teaching a more rewarding and respected
  profession.
• Help solve the teacher shortage problem by
  training qualified individuals, including recent
  graduates with mathematics and science degrees,
  graduate students, and industrial and retired
  scientists to immediately begin teaching in these
  fields.

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Discussion

• One key recommendation of A Nation at Risk was
  the need to create better working conditions for
  teachers, conditions that would attract and
  retain promising candidates into the profession.
  
• Discussion To what degree has this been
  accomplished? (take 10 minutes and make a site
  list of improvements since the 1960s in working
  conditions for teachers.report back to the
  group).